New Perspectives
by VanInBlack
Summary: Why was he coming back after ten years of early retirement? Certainly not to make her life any easier. Rossi/Strauss. Rated T for now, will become M in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: Still not mine...**_

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**New Perspectives**

"Strauss, I'm coming in to see you this afternoon!" Rossi answered the phone without any greeting words. Of course he wouldn't bother. It would have been a huge surprise if he had actually changed over the past ten years. If anything, his arrogance and attitude seemed to have become even worse.

"I have a meeting this afternoon, Rossi," Erin Strauss replied firmly, not wanting to give him the upper hand, but as usual, there was no way to get past him. He always got what he wanted, and this was no exception.

"Well, then cancel it!" She heard him bellow into the phone. "I'll be there at 2.30!" Click. He had disconnected the call without another word.

Sighing deeply, Strauss put her phone down as well and stared onto her desk. Why was he coming back anyway? Certainly not because he had something to proof, and most certainly not to make her life any easier.

She couldn't deny that she had thought of him occasionally in the last ten years. Every now and then he would make an appearance on TV, speaking about his work as an FBI profiler, about the cases they'd had over the years, about serial killers, and she had to admit that she was quite impressed with what he had made of himself. While he had already been an established agent within the Bureau back in the days he still worked there, over the last decade he had managed to manifest himself as an FBI legend with his new life as a bestselling author.

They had never gotten along very well, she and David Rossi. More than once, they'd clashed together over some bureaucratic or political aspect of the job, bureaucracy and politics being something he hated with a passion and she had always been quite adept at. In his eyes, she probably always messed up everything with the way she handled things, and thinking back, she still could get angry with the way he used to dismiss her and her job. That she was doing just that, her job, so that he could do his, was something he never seemed to want to understand.

God, how much she had hated his overblown ego, those smug grins when he had rained on her parade again.

And still, even if she would never admit it out loud, secretly she had always had a small crush on him. Nothing serious of course, since she was married, but she could not deny the appeal he had on women, and she had cursed herself repeatedly that he had such an effect on her.

But, and now it was her turn to grin smugly, over all the success he had with his career, he had never managed to settle down, he was never able to get one marriage working, he was still alone. She beat him to that, because she had a career and a functioning marriage, plus three wonderful children. Granted, her marriage had also had its ups and downs, and she and Edward seemed to be in somewhat of a critical stage lately, but overall, they had been happy.

Glancing on the framed pictures on her desk, she smiled gently. Her husband Edward, while having a career of his own as a partner in one of DC's biggest law firms, had always supported her in her ambitions, having benefited from it quite a bit, too.

He and their children were the only ones who knew the real Erin Strauss, who could see behind the mask of the cold-hearted bitch she was known for being at work, only with them did she allow herself to let her guard down. She didn't get into her current position by making nice with everyone, and she still had a few more ambitions to climb the ladder, so keeping her image firmly in place was key.

She just hoped that David Rossi wouldn't cross her aim of becoming the next director of the FBI, purposely or otherwise. He better not mess up her career, or she would make sure he would go down with her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Damn," Erin thought as she glared icily at Rossi, who had occupied a chair in front of her desk. That man still filled out a pair of jeans better than almost any other man she had ever met, including her husband. Why was it that men became more interesting and attractive with age, while women just got older?

There was no denying it: The years had been kind with David Rossi. Very kind. She'd already noticed several of the young, female agents of the Bureau become overly excited by the news of Rossi's return, and she just wished that he would be able to keep himself together this time. The last thing she wanted was to clean up the mess again he had always been so famous for leaving behind himself when he was ready to move on to new company.

Looking at him and his usual arrogant and demonstrative bored attitude, however, she had not much hope. He was exactly the same overblown bastard with the biggest ego one could imagine as before, and she tried her best to restrain herself from punching the smug grin out of his face. God, she was already tired of seeing him again, and he wasn't even officially back at work!

And of course he would not give any insight into the reasons for his return, just like the secretive loner he had always been. But she would find out, she'd make sure of that!

"You know, you won't be in charge. Agent Hotchner is the SAC and I'll be seeking his endorsement," she told him, making the rules clear right from the beginning.

"I'm not looking for anyone's permission here," he replied annoyed. Of course, you're not, bastard! Why would you? You've always done and always gotten what you wanted.

It irritated her deeply that he just had to snap with his fingers, and everyone was listening, while she and everyone else had to actually work to get things done for themselves.

"So you're coming in, in a subordinate position?" She asked.

"Is that a question?"

"The question is, why?"

"To help," he spat dangerously in her direction.

Now she was clearly only moments away from taking her anger out on his face. He was lucky that her voluminous desk separated them. No one spoke to her in a tone like that. Barely managing to keep her mask in place, she retorted sarcastically: "A completely selfless act."

"Is that so hard to believe?"

He couldn't seriously have asked that. David Rossi never did anything without a purpose, and if he really thought she'd buy this shit of wanting to help, he must be out of his mind.

"Yes," she just answered instead of an outburst, making it clear, though, that she would get all the answers she was looking for sooner or later.

"I missed you, too, Erin." His tone couldn't have been more ironic and for some reason she felt a small sting inside her gut. Before her overactive mind started to think about that, she quickly handed him his new badge.

"You'll meet the team tomorrow," she told him, dismissing him before anything else could happen.

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_A/N: I'm sorry that the chapter is a bit short, the next one will be longer. _


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Rossi tried to form a smile at his soon-to-be colleagues as he followed Strauss over to Aaron Hotchner's office. He caused the same reactions everywhere he went – courtesy of being a bestselling author and a Bureau legend – so he was fairly used to the glances he got from everyone. However, the young guy with the Frankenstein mask, looking more like a college kid than an FBI agent, made sure that his smile appeared to be a bit forced. Things had obviously changed quite a bit from when he had been at the BAU the first time around, and he wasn't yet sure if he'd like it.

But then, he wasn't here for his own amusement anyway. Anything but that. There were probably a million other things more pleasurable than working with Erin Strauss again. Or rather, under Erin Strauss as it was now the case.

If it weren't for this one unsolved case that had been haunting him for the past twenty years, the thought of leaving his comfortable retirement wouldn't even have entered his mind. But after his third divorce almost six months ago, he'd had way too much time to think, and the realization that at 52 he was actually still too young to spend his days at the golf court wouldn't leave him alone. He reckoned he might as well do something useful with his time.

With Aaron Hotchner as his direct superior, there was at least one person he knew how to work with. He'd trained the guy back in the days and they'd always gotten along, so he didn't expect too many problems on this front. Hell, he'd followed the man's career and they'd kept loose contact, so if there was anyone, he'd want to work for, then it was Aaron Hotchner.

Getting used to this team, however, would probably take a while longer. He had no doubt that they were all fantastic agents – he had of course informed himself about all of them beforehand and had heard only positive things, even about the kid with the mask – but deep down he hoped to be able to solve his unfinished business with as little fuss as possible and then get out of here again. Hopefully with a new idea for another book.

.~.~.

"So you're diving right back in? No need to get adjusted?" Strauss snorted as he met her on his way to the elevators, his go-bag in hands.

"I told you I was coming back to help," he remarked coolly, pushing the elevator button impatiently. "I wouldn't be of much help here at Quantico, wouldn't I?"

His natural instinct to be cold and distant towards her hadn't changed over the years. Hearing her voice alone had always had the ability to drive him crazy, even though it wasn't so much what it sounded like. If she could manage to put at least a bit of warmth into it, she would actually sound pleasant. But her ice-cold tone was the biggest turn-off he could imagine. Nevertheless, for some reason there had also always been something about her that attracted him to her.

When they had met for the first time, he had been between wife number one and wife number two, and if she hadn't already been engaged at the time, he would certainly have made a move. For she had not only been breathtakingly beautiful, but also possessed a sharp mind and self-confidence – all attributes he found attractive in a woman. But then her career had taken off like a rocket and along with that, she'd developed certain traits that he couldn't stomach. It wasn't so much her ambitions as the methods with which she tried to reach her goals that turned him off. He'd been ambitious, too, but her ruthlessness and her cold-hearted appearance were too much for him to understand.

For him, she was just another bureaucrat trying to complicate his work and his life with her stickler-for-the-rules antics.

"I'm just saying," she continued, sarcasm dripping from her tone. "Maybe you should spend some time getting used to all the changes around here first. You might need to find your footing again, now that your lazy days of retirement are over."

He already had a nasty retort on his lips, but the arriving elevator stopped him from uttering it.

She'd always liked to provoke him, and he knew it. That was actually kind of comforting to know, there were still some things that hadn't changed. And if he was honest, he was also looking forward to their arguments again. He had a feeling that the buttons he had to push to drive her up the walls were still the same.

"Isn't there some bureaucratic bullshit that needs your attention, Erin? Maybe you should focus on that instead of keeping me from doing the real work," he bit out and stepped into the elevator, relishing the fact that his feeling was correct.

Rendered speechless for a second too long, Erin stared at him, feeling the fury rise in her stomach, but before she could get back at him, the doors closed.

"Asshole," she instead muttered to herself and turned around to go back to her office. "

~.~.~

Only two days later, it was her turn to laugh again. And there was quite some spitefulness in her thoughts, when she'd heard about his first case with the team. The whole concept of a team working closely together was foreign to him, who had worked as a lonesome cowboy back in the early days.

She noticed with quite a bit of satisfaction when they came back that he and his new team had had anything but a good start. And if Agent Jareau's lethal glares in his direction were any indicator, it would take a while for him to adjust.

Unfortunately, she didn't really get a chance to call him on it. He holed up in his office for the next few days, apparently trying to avoid everyone and everything, especially her.

If he continued like that, however, getting situated would take infinitely longer, and even though she liked to gloat over his misfortune for a while longer, she also hoped he would be able to pull himself together without disturbing the effectiveness of their work for too long. Because if he didn't, she would not hesitate to make sure he'd find himself back in retirement again soon, Bureau legend be damned.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

Dave knew Erin kept a close eye on him and his work as well as on his development with the team. While he usually wouldn't give a damn about her or about the impression he left with her or anyone, he didn't want to draw extra attention to himself. His only goal was to solve this goddamn case that had been haunting him for the past twenty years, and then get out of here again quickly. No need to get any more invested than absolutely necessary.

That, however, was easier said than done.

He tried his best to keep his distance from the team, strictly separating his work and his private life, but he couldn't deny that he now worked with extremely likeable people. Unique, certainly – some more than others – but most definitely the best minds he'd ever come across.

So, even though, with the exception of Hotch he'd only known them for a few weeks, deep down he was just as affected as everyone else when Penelope was shot.

Trying to separate himself from them was becoming more and more difficult with every case they worked on together and the more he got to know all of them.

Especially with Hotch, he realized that they were on their best way to develop a deep friendship. Heck, if he was honest with himself, the younger man already was the best friend he'd ever had.

Once Garcia was better, he found himself quite a bit closer to them all than he had originally planned, though he still managed to keep them at an arms length most of the time.

Until the day came he was finally able to lay this twenty-year-old homicide to rest.

He knew the members of his team could be determined, even nosy, when they were curious about something, but he never would have thought that JJ, Prentiss and Morgan would actually follow him to Indianapolis. At first, he was angry with Garcia for spilling his secret, also because he didn't want to get them into trouble by becoming involved. He had purposely chosen a time when Hotch wasn't in the office, knowing that he would not have hesitated and ordered them to come to his help. What he didn't count on was that they decided to help him without being ordered by anyone. They were willing to risk trouble with Strauss without even blinking.

That touched him more than anything else had in a long time. It was like a final official welcome for him in this team. They had now fully accepted him into their tight-knit group.

"Why do you care?" he had asked.

"Because you do," Prentiss had replied.

That was all it took for him to decide that there was no way he'd leave this place again any time soon.

.~.~.

When they came back from Indianapolis, Erin had already heard of what had happened. What pissed her off even more than his single-handed actions – that was actually something she'd expected from him – was the fact that the rest of the BAU team minus Hotchner and Reid were supporting Rossi's unacceptable behavior. Oh, Hotchner and Reid wouldn't have been far either if they hadn't been at that custodial interview, of that she was sure.

As soon as she heard they were back, she made her way to the bullpen and approached JJ, Emily, Derek and Penelope, who were filling in Reid about the case and gossiping about Kevin Lynch in Rossi's office.

"Agent Jareau! For a word please?" she called over to the group.

Exchanging a confused glance with the others, JJ stood up.

"Is anything wrong, Ma'am?" she asked.

"Let's take this to my office, shall we?" Erin said shortly and stomped along.

Shrugging, JJ proceeded to follow her to her office.

"Close the door, please," Erin told her once she entered behind her.

Gesturing her to have a seat, Erin eyed her up from head to toe before she started.

"Agent Jareau, do I need to remind you about protocol?"

"Ma'am?"

"What exactly did the BAU do in Indianapolis?" she asked, her tone snide.

"We solved a case, Ma'am," JJ answered truthfully, trying to leave as little additional target for criticism as possible.

"Which you had no business working on in the first place!" Erin spat out.

"With all due respect, Ma'am, but that's not entirely true."

"Is that so? Tell me, has be BAU been invited in on this case?"

"No, Ma'am, but-"

"Well then it's clear, isn't it?"

"Ma'am-" JJ tried to explain herself and the actions of the team, but Erin didn't let her speak.

"Let me be very clear about one thing: I don't appreciate wasting Bureau resources. I'll let this one slide because your work has been quick and successful, but don't think that I'll do it again."

"Yes, Ma'am," JJ answered quickly. She didn't understand why Strauss was so livid, but she also had no interest in arguing with her any further.

"Is that all?"

"For now."

Erin gestured her to leave.

"Oh, and when you see Agent Rossi on your way out, tell him I'd like to have a word with him, too."

JJ nodded and then quickly left before she lost her temper.

.~.~.

"You wanted to see me?" Dave entered Erin's office without bothering to knock, throwing the door against the wall.

When JJ had told him about Erin being on warpath again, he had to fight the urge to just storm into her office and slap her. He took five minutes to try and calm down before he went to see her.

Ignoring his crude behavior, Erin answered calmly.

"I did. Have a seat, Agent Rossi."

"Oh, you want to play games, _Chief Strauss_?" He retorted, spitting out her name with as much venom as possible. "Too bad I'm not interested in playing games with you."

He didn't take a seat and never even gave her a chance to get the upper hand.

"Let's cut the crap once and for all. If you don't like how I handle things, you come to me directly, got it? You had no business dressing down JJ like that. Don't blame her, or any other member of my team-" he specifically emphasized the words 'my team' "- for doing their job."

Walking over to stand in front of her desk, he leaned down and into her personal space. "If you even think about taking your anger with me out on them, I'll find a way to make you pay for it," he said almost lethally.

Then he turned around and left without another word, slamming the door shut behind him.

Erin could only stare after him and wonder if she fell into some kind of rabbit hole. David Rossi caring about anyone else beside himself wasn't anything she came across often.

Only a few weeks back she had secretly laughed about his rocky start with the team, but now it seemed as if he had found his place.

And one thing was for sure: It would definitely not make her life any easier.


	5. Chapter 5

**New Perspectives**

Chapter 5

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Work with a load of urgent cases kept them all busy over the next couple of months.

Erin had no reason to reprimand the team, and if she was honest, she didn't want to. They did their job and they were effective. Everything was running smoothly. Of course, there were a few moments here and there that she wanted to slap Rossi in the face for his inappropriate comments, but mostly she just tried to ignore him, and he ignored her.

She was surprised that she hadn't heard of any complaints about him, though. She could have put her money on the fact that he'd find himself in a seminar on sexual harassment faster than he could say the words, but so far he seemed to have been able to keep it in his pants. There were no – believable – rumors floating around the office grapevine that he might have added a few more notches to his belt.

That actually concerned her more than if he were his usual self, because she didn't know what to make of it. A silent David Rossi was indefinitely more dangerous than a noisy one. She couldn't shake off the feeling that he had some hidden agenda going on and she was afraid that it would cause her more trouble once it came out, than those small indiscretions of his that he used to be so famous for.

She continued to watch him and the team closely and was glad about their continued success, because it meant good publicity for the BAU and the Bureau in general.

Even on a personal level she couldn't and didn't want to say anything against any of them. However, she did notice with growing jealousy that the longer they were working in this team, the closer they were growing together. They were becoming a family she knew she didn't have a place in. And while not so long ago she would have just shrugged it off thinking of her own family at home, it was now becoming harder to ignore.

Two of her three children were already grown-up and away at college, and her youngest daughter, sixteen-year-old Laura, was at a stage in her life where she didn't need her mother hovering over her all the time anymore. Especially on the weekends the girl was more out with her friends than she was at home and the house felt empty.

This was also and specifically due to the fact that her husband was becoming more and more distant. There had been a couple of rough times in their marriage over the years, but she and Edward had always managed to work things out and grow back together. She'd like to think that they had gotten stronger after every conflict and she'd always been proud of the bond they'd shared. A bond that somehow didn't seem to be there anymore. It seemed they had reached the end of their rope. And she didn't even know why and what was really going on, and certainly not how she could fix it. Edward didn't seem to be interested at all in talking about it. Whatever she tried, and she was the only one who made any effort, it somehow felt she was talking to a brick wall, and she knew that if things didn't change very fast, they were going to explode.

With all the problems at home it was getting harder and harder for her to feel like an outsider at work as well.

She knew that for the most part this was her own fault, what with her ambitious pursuit of a career and her strict separation of work and personal life. Somehow she wondered, if she had been nicer, more open to the people she worked with over the years, would she feel less alone, would things be more bearable?

Looking at Aaron Hotchner's team, she knew that if anything happened to either of them, they at least had each other. She felt like she had no one.

And the pep talk she gave herself each morning that it'll be all worth it once she was all the way up and became Director of the FBI, wasn't really helping anymore.

She felt lonelier than she ever had in her entire life.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Many thank yous to everyone who's been following the story. I'm sorry it took so long to update. I promise I haven't abandoned the story. :)**

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**New Perspectives**

Chapter 6

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New York had been a nightmare. Not being able to immediately get hold of his team members after the explosion of a black SUV in front of a federal building, Dave desperately hoped he wouldn't have to go through that kind of fear again anytime soon.

Although, in their line of work that hope was very slim.

He was just glad that everything had ended relatively well, all things considered. When it had turned out that Hotch had been the one injured by the bomb, Dave's heart had almost stopped with worry for his friend. Still, he'd had a job to do, they had to stop the terrorists before everything turned into complete chaos.

The moment he'd finally laid eyes on Aaron at the hospital had been one of the happiest for him in a while.

After the case had been wrapped up, he had originally planned on driving his friend back to Quantico. However, seeing as Aaron and Morgan had a few issues to work out, he'd agreed with Derek's request to become Hotch's chauffeur.

Once back in Virginia, Dave decided that everybody deserved some rest, sending them all home for a long weekend.

He himself made a quick stop by the office to get some case files to take home with him and work on over the weekend.

He was already on his way out, when he met Erin in the bullpen, talking to Anderson.

"David!" She stopped him before he could step into the elevator.

He couldn't help but roll his eyes. Clearly, the last thing he needed right now was having to deal with her. Turning around to her, he tried his best to put on a neutral face.

"How's Aaron?"

The genuine concern in her voice for the Unit Chief caught him off guard. He'd heard enough of the history between her and Hotch to find that sudden interest in his well-being surprising, to say the least.

He reacted accordingly.

"Since when do you the fuck care about Aaron?" he spat nastily.

The moment the words were out, he regretted them, seeing the hurt look in her eyes.

"Despite what you, or your team, or anyone else might think, I _do_ have a heart," she bit back aggressively.

That was too harsh a reaction, even for her, and it had Dave wondering. Erin usually resorted to sarcasm, or found a way to put him down, too. Showing her feelings like that wasn't like her.

Judging from her whole composure, he realized there was something else troubling her. For a second he thought about asking her about it, offering to listen, but then decided against it. They'd always been enemies, as this very exchanged had proved. They were definitely not close enough to confide in each other with their problems.

It didn't last much longer than a few seconds until Erin realized she'd involuntarily let her guard down. In front of David Rossi, of all people!

Immediately putting her mask back in place, she couldn't avoid noticing the curiosity, and if she wasn't mistaken, at least a tiny bit of concern in his eyes. Oddly touched by that, she felt her heart constrict at the thought that this had been more emotion than her husband had shown towards her in a very long time.

"He'll be all right," Dave offered, his tone apologetic. "Morgan's driving him back. He'll probably be out of the field for a few weeks. His ears were pretty damaged by the blow, but other than that it's not that bad. He was very lucky, considering."

Dave wasn't really sure why he gave her that kind of detailed explanation, but he felt the need to make up for earlier. Sorry was not a word that would come across his lips in front of Erin yet, even though he suddenly felt the need to apologize, something that had never happened before, no matter how unfriendly he had been to her.

"I see."

Erin hesitated for a second, unsure of what else to say.

"Well, when you talk to him, please give him my best wishes."

Dave looked at her intensely, feeling somewhat reluctant to just leave her standing there, but had no idea how to carry on the conversation with her.

Erin saved him from having to come up with something.

"Well, I have to go back to work. See you on Monday."

"Yeah, Monday."

He pressed the elevator button again and stepped inside.

When the doors had closed, he realized that he didn't even say goodbye.

Odd, he wondered. Usually, he would never even bother with formalities when it came to Erin.

Erin herself stood and stared at the closed elevator door for a long moment before going back to her office.

The brief conversation with David left her in confusion. All of a sudden she felt old emotions resurface, emotions she thought she'd buried deep inside her a long time ago.

From the first moment she'd met David, she had been attracted to him. Of course, she'd already been married by the time, and Dave had been engaged to wife number two, which was why she'd even back then played those feelings down to a harmless crush, no different than drooling over Harrison Ford when watching a movie.

Still, thinking back over the previous months that David had now been back at the BAU, she felt weirdly satisfied and relieved that his old Lothario days seemed to be over. It was comforting to know he didn't seem to have a significant other, even though Erin didn't know why she cared so much about that.

After some moments of allowing herself to get lost in those thoughts, she shook out of them and poured herself a drink.

Clearly, she concluded after downing the glass of Bourbon, if Edward didn't treat her so coldly, those feelings wouldn't even be there.


	7. Chapter 7

**New Perspectives**

Chapter 7

* * *

Over the next few months, Erin was not the only one with confusing emotions that she couldn't quite place.

David had spent some time contemplating as well, doing it more and more frequently as the months progressed. He made a habit of watching her, noticing her behavior.

Erin seemed constantly stressed out, and he was sure that the job was not the only reason for it.

Every once in a while he noticed brief moments of self-consciousness on her. Erin Strauss, who, in his opinion, epitomized confidence, suddenly seemed to struggle with herself. Those moments were far and few in between and she usually had herself back under control within seconds, but still, he couldn't deny they were there.

He caught himself wanting to tell her that she shouldn't doubt herself, that she was smart and intelligent and beautiful, no matter what.

And then he wondered where those sudden thoughts and feelings for her came from. They had never been there before, had they?

He was too busy to entertain those thoughts further, however. The caseload was brutal and in between he was working on his new bestseller.

After returning home from a case in Florida one fine spring day, he found out what was going on with her.

Stepping out of the elevator, he already heard her loud, angry voice sounding from the bullpen. Upon entering, he saw her, obviously fuming over something their newest intern had done wrong, chewing the young woman's head off. The poor girl was on the verge of tears.

That kind of behavior was very strange for Erin Strauss. She might be demanding and hard at times, especially to the agents under her command, but while being known as a cold-hearted bitch among them, she was also known for having a heart for the interns. She always treated them fair and with respect.

Dave walked over to her, hoping to turn her attention to him. When that didn't work, he actively tried to calm her down.

She stared at him with ice-cold, angry eyes.

Gesturing the young woman to go back to her work, that he would take care of this, he held Erin's gaze for several long seconds. To everyone around watching them the question was, who would spit fire first.

Dave knew instantly he had to get her out of the bullpen before the situation escalated entirely in front of a very curious audience.

"Erin, may I have a word with you in my office?" He asked, keeping his voice calm and collected.

Huffing angrily, Erin looked around and decided to follow him up the stairs.

"How could you undermine my authority in front of all these people?" She spat once Dave had closed the office door behind them. "How could you humiliate me like that?"

Dave stayed silent and pulled the blinds of his window shut as well. They didn't need the audience to continue watching.

Taking out a tumbler and a bottle of aged Scotch from his desk drawer, he poured two fingers and offered her the glass.

"Here, maybe that'll help you calm down."

Erin stared at the glass for one very long moment, then took it from him and downed its content.

"Give me another one."

Dave gave her a refill and watched her gulp it down, too.

"I really didn't mean to humiliate you," he said softly, offering her a seat.

Sinking into the chair, she played with the empty glass in her hand.

"But you did."

Her voice sounded hoarse, almost broken, and Dave wasn't sure how to go on.

She'd been out of line, no doubt about that, but what he wanted to know was, why.

He had a feeling that whatever the intern had done wrong, it wasn't the reason for her outburst, but rather the trigger, the last straw that put her over the edge.

"I'm sorry," he said.

The words were out of his mouth before he even realized it, and it wasn't even that hard as he'd always imagined.

There was a long silence between them, with Dave contemplating about the best way to get her to open up to him.

He was surprised when she suddenly started talking of her own free will.

"Edward is having an affair."

If Dave was honest, that was the last thing he expected to hear. Erin and her husband had always seemed so happy to him. Her marriage was the one thing he envied her for.

He was sure the alcohol had loosened her tongue, otherwise she would never have talked about anything from her private life with him.

Another 'I'm sorry' would sound trite, so he waited patiently for her to continue.

"She's two years older than Karen." She sounded bitter and disgusted.

That explained the outburst, Dave thought. The young woman down in the bullpen was around the same age as Erin's eldest daughter, who was 23, if he remembered correctly.

"He's moving out of our house as we speak. He's already found an apartment for himself and his mistress months ago, and now that Laura will be off to college soon, he decided to take that next step."

Dave listened quietly while Erin poured her heart out to him.

When she was done, she held the glass out for another refill.

"He's always been an asshole if you ask me. This will come back and bite him in the ass, Erin," he said.

Erin let out a humorless laugh.

"Yeah, right," she snorted. "Edward has always gotten what he wanted, why would it be any different this time?"

Dave looked at her, his eyes soft and understanding.

"What do you want, Erin?"

"I don't know," she said. "I honestly don't know."

"You're gonna find out," he assured her confidently. "The end of a marriage is not the end of the world."

"Well, you know all about that, don't you?" she gave back sarcastically.

"My track record with marriage would agree with that," he grinned.

"Maybe I should rather ask your ex-wives how they went on after they'd gotten rid of you."

Dave knew it was the anger for her idiot husband talking, still, he felt the need to set the facts straight.

"You may not believe it, but I never cheated on any of my wives. Or on anyone else for that matter. I can't speak for wife number three, though. My marriages broke apart for various reasons, but affairs were not among them. That said, when you do find out what you want, you can always come to me."

Erin gave him an incredulous look, not sure what he implied with that offer.

"I hope you're not saying what I think you're saying."

Dave laughed out.

"Good Lord! What are you thinking? You and I, we're mortal enemies, have you forgotten?" He teased.

That brought a smile to her face, the first one he'd seen in a long time.

"Yeah, we don't want to change that," she retorted, then immediately sobered up. "David…I… Please keep this to yourself."

He nodded.

"Of course."

Putting the tumbler down on his desk, she stood up and walked the few steps to the door. With a hand on the door knob, she hesitated briefly and turned back to him.

"Thank you," she said with an honest smile. "For listening."

Dave had gotten up, too.

"Anytime."

He returned the smile.

"Erin," he held her back as she opened the door and stepped out. "I meant what I said. If you need to talk, or if you just need someone to listen, you can come to me. My door's always open."


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: Many thanks for the wonderful reviews again! It's really encouraging hearing from all of you! **_

* * *

**New Perspectives**

Chapter 8

* * *

If Dave had hoped that the little moment in his office had opened the door to a change in his relationship with Erin, he was sadly mistaken.

By the next day, she was her usual self and went back to ignoring him as best as possible. He tried to get her to talk once more a few days later, but she brushed him off.

Secretly, though, she was very thankful for his offer. However, her problem was that she was too distrusting to take him up on it.

He'd been her enemy for far too long to suddenly become the person to confide in. And while she had believed him when he'd said he'd never cheated on any of his partners, the evidence of his colorful past wasn't anything she could overlook, even though he did seem to have settled down.

Besides, she already had to deal with too much, she didn't want to open another can of worms. And even if it wasn't fair to him, she had convinced herself that getting involved with David Rossi – one way or another – always led to heartbreak. She'd had enough of that lately to last her a lifetime.

So she kept to herself, trying to deal with the downfall of her marriage alone, trying desperately to maintain a relationship with her children, who were now all spread in different parts of the country, all the while struggling with the daily demands of her job.

Had the three glasses of Scotch in Rossi's office still been an exception, she had slowly fallen into a habit of pouring herself a drink or two before leaving the office late and then at least another on at home.

Telling herself that she had everything under control, she saw no need to get rid of that habit anymore.

.~.~.~.

After Erin had shut him out so rudely and gone back to only talking to him if it was work-related and otherwise strictly ignoring him, Dave decided to let her be and gave her the space she needed.

When the Reaper attacked Hotch, everything else faded into background anyway.

Beside their usual workload, the team put their entire focus on finding and catching George Foyet. That didn't leave much room to make new friends. Erin was the last thing on his mind during a time like this, and she knew it.

There were moments she felt completely overwhelmed, but she couldn't bring herself to reach out for help, especially not to Dave.

He didn't want to show it too much, trying to be the source of stability for his team, and especially for his best friend Aaron, but he was as much on the edge as all of them.

When the higher-ups were making noises, questioning Hotch's ability to lead his team, Erin was quick to let him know about it. She hoped that by having him step down it would restore some order and would make it one problem less to have to think about.

What took her by quite a bit of surprise was Hotchner's decision to appoint Derek Morgan as temporary Unit Chief instead of Rossi. She was, however, not unhappy with that. Dealing with Morgan would be infinitely easier than with David.

It did, of course, not stop him from cornering her angrily one late evening, not long after.

"What the fuck kind of game are you playing, Erin?" he spat.

"I'm not playing anything, David."

She tried her best to stay calm, certainly not in the mood for a long, venomed discussion. Dave snorted abrasively.

"As long as George Foyet is out there, Aaron is a liability. You can't deny that."

"You've gotta be kidding me," Dave countered automatically, although he knew she was right.

"I know you're angry, David, but I have to look at a bigger picture than just your team. Aaron is in no position to lead a team effectively at the moment. I know he's devoting every free minute to chasing down Foyet. He won't be able to keep that up forever. And if anything happens, the consequences will not only affect your team, but the Bureau as a whole. I don't think I need to remind you of Waco or Ruby Ridge. I have to do what's best for your team _and_ everyone else."

Dave couldn't argue with that and backed down. He was too tired right now anyway. His expression softened as he nodded.

"David, I know you don't like it. And believe it or not, I do understand where you're coming from. Aaron is your friend. I'd be surprised if you reacted differently. Please try to understand my side, too. Let me do my job so you can do yours effectively."

Dave nodded again.

"Fine. I'll back down. For now. But, if you're playing a foul game here, I swear to God, I'll make damn sure you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

* * *

_**Don't forget the Awards: **_

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**__Calling all CM readers and authors! Join us for our third annual Profiler's Choice CM Awards on __! Help us choose the best of the best of the CM stories on __, and let your voice be heard. Please check out the nomination ballot and rules at Chit Chat on Author's Corner Forum. __All rules and information are on the forum._


	9. Chapter 9

**New Perspectives**

Chapter 9

* * *

Only weeks later, George Foyet had been taken down.

When Erin heard of what had transpired in the Hotchners' house, she was not only shaken by how tragically and brutally a little boy had lost his mother, but also deeply worried about the consequences for the team and for the Bureau.

Standard procedure demanded an internal investigation of the events, if the team liked it or not.

It was obvious to Erin that they all thought she was only out for Aaron Hotchner's blood, that she would finally find a way to remove him permanently. In truth, her main concern was to keep the Bureau and the BAU from permanent damage.

She knew when she'd begun her job many years ago that it wasn't very likely she would make many friends. She was okay with that, keeping work and her personal life strictly separate.

When she started interviewing the members of Aaron's team, it took everything from her to remind herself of that. And there were moments she failed miserably, when she couldn't stop thinking of everything she'd done wrong in the past, wondering how great it would be to have such a fiercely loyal group of friends behind her.

She expected them to be loyal to their leader, to stand behind and defend him. She'd be worried if they didn't.

She also expected to be made out as the bad guy in the scenario, and she was prepared to deal with it.

What she didn't expect was the fierceness with which they showed their loyalty and support for Aaron. Short of calling her names they practically did everything to protect him. The bond they had formed over the years, the family they had become was one of a kind. Watching each and every one of them sit and defend Aaron, defend each other and their actions, made her once again realize how lonely she truly was.

In her position, that high up in the chain of command, with ambitions to climb even higher, no one would ever stand up for her like that. There were too many people interested in climbing the ladder themselves, too many people who would gladly eliminate every potential competition. It was all too familiar to her, having tried the very same thing with Hotchner only a few years back.

The error of her ways was becoming painfully obvious to her now, knowing she would never be able to regain their trust. Even if she tried, they would always question her motives.

As she sat across David Rossi, interrogating him on his version of the catastrophic events, she secretly wished she had taken him up on his offer months earlier. At least then she would have someone to talk to.

And maybe he wouldn't currently be so hostile and dismissive toward her.

"Once the team located George Foyet's potential apartment, why didn't the BAU enter immediately? Agent Rossi?"

He couldn't have been more obvious about his dislike of her investigation if he simply hadn't shown up. None of the other members of the team had made her feel more irrelevant than him at that moment as he preferred to play with his phone rather than answering her question.

"I asked you a question?"

Finally he looked up and at least acknowledged her presence.

"Gold is still going up. But knowing when to get out, that's the trick."

Shooting him a poisonous glare, she stopped the recording tape.

It hurt to be treated like that, especially by him. The others, she could take, but with him she always had the feeling he could see right through her carefully erected walls that were supposed to conceal her true emotions.

It was no different at this moment.

"What are you doing?"

"What's the point of all this, Erin? Why?"

"So this never happens again."

She tried to bring her point across firmly. Only, it didn't work with him. He'd always find another sore spot to hurt her.

"There's nothing a bureaucrat can do to make sure that something like this never happens again," he said deliberately slowly, emphasizing the word 'bureaucrat' in contempt.

"So we just wait for the next blood bath?" she spat right back.

She would have loved to just slap him across that smug face of his for his blatant disrespect toward her and her job. She had honestly thought that even if he didn't like her job or the way she did it that he at least had some respect for it. Apparently, she'd been wrong, and she was on the verge of just standing up and leaving the room for a moment to catch her breath and get herself together.

When she saw his eyes and his expression soften, she took a deep breath and went on, knowing that she'd shown him enough weakness for today.

"Why did you wait so long before going to Foyet's apartment?" She repeated her earlier question.

Dave gave his best recollection of everything that had happened and Erin was glad he stopped antagonizing her for the remainder of the interview.

She still couldn't make sense of her feelings for him, and still refused to think about it or read too much into it. But she couldn't ignore how painful his current behavior toward her was and how much she wished it was different.

She cursed herself for having broken down in front of him and having told him about her dissolving marriage that day. He'd never been this nice to her before, and if she hadn't opened up to him, he wouldn't have had to and maybe, just maybe, wouldn't have had those damn feelings revived inside her. His opinion wouldn't matter and she could happily go on hating him.

Instead, she felt miserable, because the opposite was true.

His opinion mattered to her, regardless how much she tried to convince herself differently.

"Thank you, Agent Rossi," she said shortly when she was done questioning him and stood up, indicating that he was dismissed.

Dave walked around the table and over to the door. Before opening it, he turned around and back to her.

"I'm sorry, Erin," he apologized softly. "It's just…We're all still on the edge after what happened. I know you have to do your job, but please understand that none of this was Aaron's or anyone else's fault but Foyet's. Please don't blame him for what that bastard did. Aaron's already doing that enough himself."

Erin nodded. She knew all that and she didn't plan on making things any harder for Aaron Hotchner and his son than they already were.

"I'm sorry for my behavior," Dave went on. "Aaron is my best friend, and I tend to get a little protective when it comes to the people I care about. I really didn't mean to hurt you."

Erin closed her eyes for a second. Of course he'd notice how much his words had hurt her. She clearly had to work on keeping her mask in place in front of him. Regardless, his apology felt really good.

Then he continued and surprised her even more.

"For what it's worth, I think you're doing an excellent job. You wouldn't be where you are if you didn't. Don't listen to me when I'm spouting bullshit that suggests otherwise."

His voice was gentle and filled with honest regret, and when she looked up into his eyes, she saw the same thing there. Her heart skipped a beat as she lost herself in his dark brown eyes watching her intensely. She couldn't really describe what she felt in that moment, what his words were doing to her, knowing now that deep down he did care about her. Not even a year ago, he would never have apologized to her for anything. Now, it seemed he was making honest efforts to let her know there was more to him than just his usual, pompous and abrasive behavior.

That's when she knew it wasn't just an innocent crush she had on him. Somewhere along the way, she'd fallen in love with this man. It was the only explanation she had for why everything he said and did to her, good and bad, affected her so profoundly.

And that realization almost brought her to her knees.

* * *

**Please don't forget to nominate your favorite stories!**

**NOMINATIONS HAVE STARTED FOR PROFILER'S CHOICE CRIMINAL MINDS FANFIC AWARDS!**  
**Calling all CM readers and authors! Join us for our third annual Profiler's Choice CM Awards on ! Help us choose the best of the best of the CM stories on , and let your voice be heard. Please check out the nomination ballot and rules at Chit Chat on Author's Corner Forum. All rules and information are on the forum.**


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